Closure-operator



Sept. 21, 1954 F. A. PURDY 2*;689,725

CLOSURE-OPERATOR Filed Jan. 17, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 BY 24. M

ATTORNEY Sept. 21, 1954 PURDY 2,689,725

CLOSURE-OPERATOR Filed Jan. 17, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a? /zz' 22 I 5 I IN ENTORT.

Patented Sept. 21 1954 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE CLOSURE-OPERATOR Frederick A. Purdy, Scarsdale, N. Y.

Application January 17, 1950, Serial No. 139,082 8 Claims. (01. 268 35) This invention relates to closure-operators, and has particular reference to devices for opening, closing, and controlling the operation of, doors of garages, and of similar building-structures.

Objects, such as simplicity, economy and dependability, will be apparent in the description.

The developments here shown are alternative to means represented in my co-pending application, Serial No. 139,681, filed herewith under date of January 17, 1950, and are improvements over devices disclosed in my prior Patents 2,062,015, issued November 24, 1936, and 2,127,376, issued August 16, 1938.

Drawings The invention in its preferred form is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, of which Figure l is a general perspective view of a garage driveway and doorway, showing my invention as installed, including the overhead mechanism and connections to doors, the weight-bracket attached to Wall supporting motive weights connected by cables to the overhead mechanism, wires overhead the path of the vehicle, and electric devices on the garage-wall adjacent to the doorway;

Figure 2 is a perspective view taken from above and showing the door closing mechanism in closed position;

Figure 2a is a similar view at an enlarged scale showing the gripping mechanism;

Figure 8 is a top plan view and Figure 4 a side view of the overhead mechanism also showing the mechanism in door closing position;

Figure 5 is an exploded view of two grabbing members connected to the door closing cable; and

Figure 6 is a section on line E-t of Figures 3 and 4.

The electric setting-off means illustrated in Figure 1 consists of wires 2% and 25H overhead the path of the vehicle in the circuit of battery 203 within the garage, and or solenoid 2%, Figures 3 and 4. These wires are suspended preferably one above the other form the post 2132 at one side of the driveway (at which post they are insulated from the post and from each other), across the driveway to the garage; they run into the garage to any electric current supply, here represented by the battery 203, in series with a solenoid 204; at the latter these wires are designated as 200 and 29!. The circuit is closed by a contact-rod, or an antenna, at the vehicle, which crosses between the wires Zflii and 201.

Solenoid 26s, energized upon the closing of the circuit, pulls link 2H5 by which it is connected to trigger 206, and the movement of the trigger sets off the door-operator.

The clutch shown in Figures 3 and 4 consists principally Of two members 2m and 2H pivoted together in a scissors arrangement in which the stress of the Weight 9|, applied through cable 32, tends to close the members upon the clutchelement 53 of the runner 48. Element 53, of sheet-metal punched to shape and formed to a right-angle, is riveted or spot-Welded to the apron 48 which in turn is spot-welded to the runner dB. This element 53 is the part to he grabbed by the grabbing means, the latter consisting of the two members 2 i ii and 2H pivoted by the gudgeon H5 in scissors formation. These members are more clearly pictured in Figure 5. Each of the two members 2 I B and 2| l is stamped to the same shape from sheet-metal, but their flanges Ziii and 2H are formed oppositely, so that these flanges extend in the same direction when one member is pivoted to the gudgeon upside down in relation to the other. Thus the vertical Web of one member lies in front of or behind that of the other, and the two grabbin jaws 256i and El I" come together one beside the other as would blades of scissors, enabling oneto pass the other for a good hold upon the element 53 from above, While the other takes an equal hold from below.

At its extreme end opposite from the jaws, each member is pivotally attached, as by rivets 2H8 and 2 l9 respectively, to the end of a link 22?] or 225, these two links converging at their other ends where together they are pivotally attached by rivet 223 to a grip 222 of flat metal; into holes in this grip the cable IE2 is threaded and pressed. As an alternative to the linkages, the strands of the cable Hi2 may be separated into two runs, one run threaded into holes in the end of member 2H], and the other run threaded into holes in the end of the other member 2| I.

In the bracket and in the bracket 9? there are sockets that lie in the straight line between the element 53 rearward to the groove of sheave- Wheel over which cable it)? passes. In these sockets the gudgeon 215 comes to rest when the runner it, moving, in door-closing, under stress of weight 9| (connected to cable Hit), brings the doors fully closed. These brackets 98 and till take the stress of weight 9|, and relieve this stress upon the runner 48. But the stress continues upon the members 2Iii and 2! I, affording a yieldable spring-effect tending to hold the members closed together.

Link 220 and associated member 216 are at their joint 213 off-center from a straight line between gudgeon M5 and joint 223; so also with link 22! and member 2. The stress of weight 9! tends to pull them into the straight line, though complete movement into such straight line is prevented by contact between the link 222i and the end of member 21c above it. The tendency to close the members 2H) and 2H is constant by gravity in the weight 9| it can be made asstrong as desired according to the lengths of links 225} and HI, and according to the distance of separation of the pivotal rivets 2m and M9.

scams With the jaws 2m" and 2H" taking hold upon the element 53 from the oppositesides, each jaw resists any tendency of the other to let go, the jaws thus mutually contributing to the security of the grabbing-means. The greater the pull by the weight BI, the stronger is. the hold by the aws.

Trigger 2% is pivotally fastened at 2I5 to bracket 96 on the flange of frame 40. Two cams in the trigger are comprised of'rivets 206' and 2GB" pressed through holes in the trigger. These rivets are not set up, but they are secured by the cleat 201 welded to trigger 296. The cams are positioned between the flanges 210' and 2H of members 2 I and 2I I, so that when the lower end of trigger is moved rearward (to the left in Figures 3 and 4) they pry-the members 240 and 2H apart to open the jaws 2m" and 2| I" from their hold on element 53, and thus release the runner 48 from restriction by the weight 9 I. The movement of trigger 205 so to open the jaws is produced by the pull of solenoid 20 4. Upon deenergization of the solenoid, trigger 296 is returned by spring 2 H to its position as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

r The lower of the clutch members 210, upon being thus moved by the trigger, presses downward upon latch part 60' and releases keeper 50" to free the runner 50 and permit runner 58 to move forward under stress of weight 93 upon runner 50 to shift bumper M and door connected arm 2'! and open the doors, as set forth in my co-pending application, Serial No. 139,081. The trigger 206 also shifts rod 65 for purposes more fully set forth herein.

Re-engagement by element 53 into the jaws 2H)" and 2| l" at manual resetting of doors into closed position is by pressure of element 53 against the slants 2I2 and 2I3 to open the jaws. The stress of weight 9I in cable H32 against gudgeon 2I5 in sockets of brackets 96 and 91 keeps the jaws precisely in line pointed to receive the element 53.

Piston rod H8 (Figures 3 and 4), within aircushion cylinder I28, has two leathers I22 and I22, one facing in each direction. Leather I22 seals to compress air when the piston-rod is thrust inward of the cylinder, and leather I22 seals against precipitate intake of air when the piston-rod is drawn outward of the cylinder. Until relieved by slow leakage inward of air where the cylinder butts against bracket I32, a partial vacuum is set up inside the cylinder when the piston-rod is drawn outward, and the resistance by atmospheric pressure upon the piston provides the cushioning effect.

The two ends II5 and H5 are shown of a wire that makes the outward pull upon the piston-rod I I8. The end H5 is attached to the piston-rod;

the wire lies through the hole M in bumper 4i, and its end H5 is distant from the bumper by substantially the length of travel of the bumper with runner 48 in door-opening movement, minus the travel of the piston. Thus the end I I5 upon being engaged by the bumper 47 towards the end of the door-opening movement, moves with the bumper to pull out the piston-rod and cushion the termination of the opening movement.

The cushioning of the closing movement is by compression of air within the cylinder when bumper 51, moving rearward, engages the outward end ofpiston-rod I I8 and. thrusts the pistonrod inward of the cylinder.

When. the doors are closed and the mechanism isin. the position indicated in. Figuresv 2,. 3' and 45,

the door closing weight 9I is inthe lower position and the pull on the cable I02 holds the gripping members 2 I i1 and 2 I I in position to grip the clutch 53 on runner 48. When the solenoid 204 is energized the pull on the rod 295 swings trigger 266 clockwise (Figure 4) and causes the gripping members to spread and open the jaws BIB and 2 I I and allow the runners 5i] and 38 to be moved forwardly by the door opening weight 98. This weight moves both runners forwardly on the track 41 so that the arms 21, 2? push the doors open. Upon deenergization of the solenoid 264 the spring ZI'l restores the scissors-like gripping members to normal position. When the door is closed inanually the runner 48 is shifted back into the position shown in Figures 3 and 4 and is again engaged with the gripping members. When one opens the doors manually runner 38 is pulled forward and the pull on cable I92 lifts weight @i so as to store energy for later door closing operation. Runner 50, cable I00 and weight 96 are held back by the latch 6%. These operations are more fully disclosed in my co-pending application above referred to.

What is claimed is:

1. In a door operating mechanism, a door, a reciprocable runner to the rear of the door, a link connecting the door and runner whereby the runner may be shifted when. the door is opened or closed and the door may be opened or closed by shifting the runner, a rearwardly tensioned cable to the rear of the runner, two longitudinally extending levers, pivotally connected together intermediate their ends and connected at their rear ends to the cable to bias the members about the pivotal connection, the front ends of the levers having oppositely facing hooks, a runner carried element cooperable with the hooks to displace them when moved rearwardly past them so that the hooks engage the element and couple the runner to the cable, and an abutment against which the cable holds the levers to place the hooks in position to be engaged by the hooks, so that the levers may be pulled away from the abutment when the runner is shifted forwardly.

2. A door operating mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hooks face one another, the runner carried element is in the form of a lu movable between the hooks, and the ends of the levers beyond the hooks have cam surfaces to spread the hooks.

3. A door operating mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the levers are placed one above the other and the pivotal connection is about a horizontal axis.

4. A door operating mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pivotal connection is in the form of a trunnion and the abutment includes sockets in which the trunnion is received and rockably held by the tension of the cable.

5. A door operating mechanism as claimed in claim. 1, wherein the hooks face one another and levers cross one another so that the ends move toward and away from one another in unison, and the tension in the cable holds the hooks closed.

6. A' door operating mechanism as claimed in claim 1 having a device acting on the levers only when held against the abutment to shift the books out of engagement with the runner carried element to release the runner for shifting free of cable tension, the cable being retained in position by the abutment.

'7. In combination, a guide on which are mounted two reciprocable runners in tandem, a pair of doors connected to the first runner to be opened when the front runner moves forwardly, the first runner having a laterally disposed lug, a forwardly tensioned cable secured to the rear runner, a rearwardly tensioned cable, a pair of cross connected levers connected to the rearwardly tensioned cable, the front ends of the levers having hooks engageable with the lug to couple the front runner to the rearwardly tensioned cable, an abutment against which the levers are pulled by the cable and in a position to locate the hooks in coupling position with the lug, a latch normally holding the rear runner against movement by the forwardly tensioned cable and a device for shifting the hooks out of engagement with the lug only when the levers are held against the abutment so that the front runner can move free of the rearwardly tensioned cable, and for releasing the rear runner latch so that the rear runner may push the front runner forward and close the doors.

8. In combination, a reciprocable runner connected to door opening members to shift them toward door opening position when moved forwardly and to door closing position when moved rearwardly, a laterally extending lug carried by the runner, a forwardly-facing fixed abutment to the rear of the lug when the runner is in its rearmost position, a rearwardly extending cable having its front end to the rear of the abutment, a pair of longitudinally extending levers having aligned rear ends spaced apart and connected to the cable to be pulled toward one another by cable tension, a pivot connecting the levers inter mediate their ends, and oppositely facing hooks at the front ends of the levers a distance from thr point to engage the lug on the runner, couplt the runner and cable together and hold the runner in its rear position.

References Cited in the file of this: patent UNITED STATES PAIrl-"NTS Lichtfeldt May 2, 1939 

